Twitch Arrives on Android TV

The live-streaming video service for gamers on Thursday launched its app on Google’s smart TV platform, and updated its main Android mobile app with enhanced chat functionality. In the company’s announcement NVIDIA states, “With today’s launch, SHIELD becomes the only media streaming device capable of live broadcasting gameplay to Twitch and offering owners the ability to also watch broadcasts”.

The free app lets users watch live and recorded streams of people playing various games (and, less commonly, engaging in creative endeavors such as painting). The new Twitch app for Android TV lets you log in, follow content you dig, search for your favorite games and broadcasters, and chat right from your TV. Last night they officially brought Twitch, leading social video platform and community for gamers, to SHIELD, the ultimate in living room entertainment. Now players will be able to watch these broadcasts whenever they like, and they will be able to enjoy the streams and chat with the players they follow, all from the comfort of their couch.

SHIELD Android TV brings with it support for many streaming services and applications, including HBO GO, FOX Sports, UFC, FX Now, CBS News and Sport, STARZ Play, WWE, HBO Now, Showtime, USA. The native app is a better option if you’d rather stick to a regular remote control, and it also allows for viewing community chat on the big screen alongside the video. In addition, Twitch says that it has brought a new “Whispers 2.0” update to the standard Android app, allowing users to check their private messages at a glance from the Whispers button in the app.

While the entirety of the back catalog of Android games might not be currently available, a large number are (and a large number of non-optimized games will work when sideloaded). In terms of the app, it is free to download and brings you much of the same functionality as the main Android app, albeit with what looks to be a slightly stripped down UI and one which is more typical of an Android TV app. You can quickly navigate to any of the featured games or featured channels and can also search for any specific channels or games that you are looking for. One of the nice features of Android TV is the recommendations bar which appears looks to provide Android TV users with quick access to content they might be interested in and directly on their homascreen.